Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Theodore McCooey, 20, enlisted on 17 April 1916. He was in training camps in Australia for six months before embarking on the Ceramic in October of that year. This may suggest he had borderline fitness, in regards to the standards required by the AIF.
Throughout the bitterly cold northern winter of 1916-1917, Australian forces were billeted in Northern France near the villages of Le Sars, Flers and Gueudecourt, just south of the major town of Bapaume. Even in such cold conditions when major attacks were impossible, deaths continued caused by sniper fire, random artillery barrages, accidents, disease, gas attacks and minor skirmishes. Five Auburn Memorial men died in this period: Private Theodore McCooey, Private Arthur Sheppard, Private Walter Lussick, Lieutenant James McGrath, and Private Lewis Anderson.
Travelling via England, McCooey was taken on strength of the 54th Battalion in France on 6 February 1917. He was wounded with a gunshot wound to the chest on 30 March 1917. McCooey had been at the front for 53 days, less 17 days in hospital with advanced periodontitis.
McCooey was buried in the British Cemetery at Ovillers-la-Boisselle. This cemetery lies some 20 kilometres south-west of the position of the 54th Battalion at the time, which suggests McCooey was being taken back to Australian Field Hospitals, but died of his wounds on the way. For his grave, his parents chose the inscription: IN MEMORY OF THE BELOVED SON OF MR & MRS McCOOEY OF AUBURN NSW
Theodore McCooey is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal 1914-20
- Victory Medal
